Maspeth native Stacey Eliuk had her political awakening at Townsend Harris High School, right around the time the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stirred fiery debates.

She took her interests to Queens College and later to Columbia University, where she initially thought about entering academia. Eliuk quickly realized that wasn’t the path she was most passionate about, and she needed to a place to unload her “political energy.”

After grad school, she took a job doing grassroots campaign and fundraising work, leading her around the country to advocate for progressive causes. In 2012, she came back to New York having learned a valuable lesson.

“What we’re doing here now in New York is really important because it sets the tone for the rest of the county to follow in our example,” she said.

Eliuk wanted to stay in politics. She worked in communications for a Queens councilman and then a state senator. Along the way, she joined the Queens County Young Democrats. Within a few months, she ran to be the treasurer.

“You come for the issues and you stay for the people,” she said. “I felt really welcomed.”

After two years, Eliuk became the organization’s first female president. She brought back a caucus system where the group’s members organize issue-driven meetings and events. She sees this as an opportunity for professional development.

“We’re going to be the leaders of this resistance of the agenda President Trump has proposed,” she said. “Where are we going to learn how to be as effective as possible? Through an organization like Queens Young Dems.”

Eliuk currently works as an outreach coordinator for Public Advocate Letitia James. She visits community boards throughout Queens, which are all different.

“Every single one has a distinct personality and flavor,” she said.

She may even consider running for public office one day.

“I’m certainly open to it,” she said. “If I feel like I can do the job better than anyone else, and really represent people well and work hard for them, then of course.”